Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-12-01

CHAPTER uL-CONTINUED.
If it is asked what had been the cause of
his unpleasant meditations along the high
way, that is easily told.
He was an American, well-born but poor.
His friends and relatives, from the first, OPP
posed his choice of a profession, declaring
the latter to be unmanly, enervating and al
together impracticable. He himself began
to doubt his own abilities. His was plant,
impreSSionable nature, easily influenced by
others-not wholly from weakness; but, also,
because his natural lack of self-conhdence
had been aggravated by mistaken course
of early discipline which taught him always
to yield to the opinion of his elders. The
constant reiteration of dismal prophecies,
mistrust of his own talents, and, above all,
the unwilling, disappointed acquiescence of
his parents in his choice all this caused
him to WaVer in the wish of his youth, and,
at last to abandon it.
Dlsheartened and imbittered at the
thought of foregoing the one and only real
desire Of his life, he now became drifting,
unhappy man; uncertain what to do; ap-
parently incapable of selecting profession;
soured as much as one of his happy disposi-
tions could be; unfit for any Immediate du-
ties and, yet, obliged, in some way or other,
to earn a livelihood
He was not one to give up in despair. he
tried, first one thing, then another-not
from choice, but necessity, because he
deemed it his duty-always hating most
what he last was engaged in; and, although
now not far from thirty years of age, he
was still unsettled and, of course, unhappy
-woefully SO, at times.
Finally, realizing the seeming helplessness
of his state, he lost the will and, at length,
even the wish to decide. So he resolved
upon the cowardly course of allowing mat
tiers to shape themselves and force him to
some decision.
Yet, although he professed no longer to
trouble himself as to his future, like many
OF those in a similar predicament, he expert
enced moments when his wasted life, his
present eimlessness, his disappointments
and unrealized hopes overwhelmed him in
all of their dismal aspects. When thus dis
turbed, OF he would go on some long, lonely
walk, lost in gloomy reflection.
Some slight occurrence of the previous
evening had brought back the old, old trou-
bles upon him; and now, although the after
noon was far spent, he was still completely
under their influence, and the reader finds
him on the outskirts of small country vii
lage, near Oman, in Britanny-for he had
managed to scrape together few dollars
and venture even upon trip to Europe
suffering from fit of dependency, super
induced by reflections of the foregoing
character.
Despite the fact that he could Law no
III,
gained a rather unusual color in his cheeks,
and his eyes were wont to flash and sparkle
with unusual brilliancy. Had he not been
in such haste and so absorbed in his prep
arations for the ball, he might have
paused q moment before the mirror to re-
mark the transformation in his appearance
His high, full forehead, over which had
dropped an unruly Napoleonic forelock;
his bronzed complexion, heightened by the
unusual color of the face; his long, droop-
ing mustache, and, more especially, those,
brilliant, flashing eyes that seemed to burn
with fire in their sockets, made him, to say
the least, rather observable.
At last, he put the finishing touches to his
costume and, entering the carriage, prom
ised the coachman extra money, if the lat
ter would drive as rapidly as possible
This had been lucky day to the Young
American Why should not luck continue!
Might it not be possible that he should meet
her there this evening! He felt almost GER
tain that he would.
Son, as fast as you canr' called he to the
driver.
That individual, aroused by the hope of
reward, dashed his horses, until, tired as
they were. they tore along at a. furious pace.
Covered with foam, they dashed past the
porter's lodge, along the avenue to the
chateau, and drew up, steaming, before the
entrance.
Seeking out his friend, Dick Oxford. Fair
fax asked the later to take him to tba
Warehouses. his hostess. To her hs ran.ie
&ss AscAalsA